Growing Medium Test - Azalea

[kcpoole]

Another species I will be trying out Various mixes on will be Azalea as they are so commonly used in Bonsai

I have a Clump of small ones dug out from my garden before I moved house and have split the clump into 3 sections. I will plant each one in a different mix to ascertain over time the differences achieved. Note these are similar diameter trunks to each other and I will cut the long one back when I get so signs of positive growth as none have very many roots as yet.

As we have just received our Delivery of Kanuma and Akadama ( viewtopic.php?f=103&t=2039 ), thought I will get started straight away and put one each of these ones in Kanuma, Diatomite mix, and Ray Nesci own mix as a control. Left to right, as the other tests, Akadama/Kanuma, Diatomite, RayN

See these links for my other threads for Different plant species
Flowering Cherry thread - viewtopic.php?f=12&t=1877
Sargent Juniper thread - viewtopic.php?f=12&t=1878
Zelcova Serrata thread - viewtopic.php?f=12&t=1879

Each plant will be treated the same and located in the same location on my benches, and reppotted at the same time

Stay tuned

Ken

[Chris H]

Ken
How is the Azalea test going?
Chris.

[kcpoole]

Hi All
An update on these today

Each one seems to be growing OK with worst to best of Kanuma, Diatomite then Ray's test mix.
The one in rays mix is taller by far, but the trunk size is not much different
As I have only one of each in the test group these could be just due to differences in vigour of each plant.

I am a little surprised that the Kanuma does not out strip the others easily
From all of my tests, it can safely say that as long a s your own mix performs well, then it really does not make that much difference.
If you do not have a good mix, then you trees will suffer

Till next update

Ken

[Damian Bee]

KC, was the root system on all three equal? The size of the growth above ground varies a little.
What type of diatomite was it that you used, mount Sylvia or maidenwell?
The flower looks like a indica hybrid but I am stuffed if I know which one

[Damian Bee]

[kcpoole]

Hi Damian
Just seen this now
The Diatomite is Mt Sylvia as I have not seen Maidenwell for many years.

The roots on the trees showed that they were all quite similar. Having continued on tho since the original tests, I use Kanuma for Azaleas exclusively if I can.

Ken

[squizzy]

Hi ken. This test would indicate kinuma performed the worst but you choose it for azalea. Just wondering why?

[kcpoole]

Hi ken. This test would indicate kinuma performed the worst but you choose it for azalea. Just wondering why?

These particular ones did not do so well during the test, but all my others I had in test and comparisons did exceptionally well I cannot explain this lot.

Very happy with Kanuma

Ken

[Gav]

Hi Ken,

I guess you have already found this out by now but just in case you have not... I am certain that the type of azalea that you have in the pictures is a hatsugiri. Very nice azaleas

Gav.

[maple]

Hi Damian
Just seen this now
The Diatomite is Mt Sylvia as I have not seen Maidenwell for many years.

The roots on the trees showed that they were all quite similar. Having continued on tho since the original tests, I use Kanuma for Azaleas exclusively if I can.

Ken

Interesting Ken. Some people swear by Kanuma for Satsuki going as far as following the Japanese practice of grading the particle sizes largest at the bottom of the pot to smallest at the top. I have a few Satsuki and used the Kanuma 50% with Orchid Nuggets over a few years and I honestly cant say I have seen any better growth using Kanuma. The trees have ranged from 5-40yo and varied between bonsai pots and terra-cotta grow pots and I cant see a difference in any of them.
Interested to know what made you continue with kanuma after a "slow start". I'm just thinking about going back to my normal mix I use for Maples etc of Nuggets and Diatomite.

[kcpoole]

Just a feeling I had when repotting them. They might have not grown as wel in the test in it, but the roots felt nicer in some way I am gald i did as they certainly like it in the longer term. Whether actually better over time, hard to say.

When using Kanuma i do try to grade it tho. Larger in the bottom and small on the top.
I use 3 grades in the larger pots and only 2 in the smaller ones.

Ken